Engineer&#39;s brake valve for air-brake systems



March 25, 1930. A. w. NICHOLSON 1,751,943

ENGINEERS BRAKE VALVE FOR AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 15, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I l I I l I l I I x l l I i I INVENTOR Alexander WNicholSon b3 his attorney March 25, 1930. A. w. NICHOLSON 1,751,943

ENGINEERS BRAKE VALVE FOR AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 15, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIRE INVENTOR AlexanderWNicholSon b aid/1m his aiiorne l March 25, 1930 A. w. NICHOLSON 1,751,943

ENGINEERS BRAKE VALVE FOR AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS I Filed Aug. 15, .1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1] lid Q m 12 In QB liq In h fl HI I0 Ai/ A 1 37 \4-O-A t mill/H INVENTOR Alexahcler W Nicholson b Bil/444x511,

h s attorne q March 25, 1930.

, ENGINEERS BRAKE! VALVE FOR AI-R BRAKE SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 15, 1928' 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- III 7/; lll

FIG. 11

INVENTOR Alexander W. Nicholson by ZZ/MLMQ 4i h s a torney A. w. NICHOLSON 1,751,943

Mat r ch 25, 1930. A. w. NICHOLSON 1,751,943

ENGINEERS BRAKE VALVE FOR AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 15, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Alexander W Nicholson his afitorneg.

Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINEERS BRAKE VALVE FOR AIR-BRAKE SYSTEMS Application filed August 15, 1928.

This invention relates to an improvement in an engineers valve for use in controlling the air brake system of a train.

The brake valve of the present invention is particularly adapted to be used in conjunction with the applicants retaining valve which is illustrated and described in Patent No. 1,548,163, dated August 4, 1925. In order that the said retaining valve may function automatically it is necessary to provide means whereby two different and distinct pressures may be maintained in the brake or train line. That is, when the retaining valve is in its operative position the train line pressure should be relatively low, say 70 pounds,

and when the retaining valve is not to function, the train line (running) pressure should be maintained at some higher pressure, say about 90 pounds.

.7 In addition, the valve of this invention is designed to permit the brakes of the engine to be applied andheld in application without braking the remainder of the train, and to permit the brakes of the train and engine to be applied together, and to permit the engine brakes to be released and the train brakes held in application, and to apply and to hold both the engine and train brakes while the pressure of the auxiliary reservoir is being restored for further use after an application of the brakes. These functions are to be controlled by the engineers valve disclosed hereinafter, without the use of an independent and manually operated doublefeed valve, and without the use of an independent brake valve.

It is further to be noted that the valve of this invention may be connected to the main train line in such a manner, that should two engines be employed as a double-header, that the engineers brake valve of the second en gine may be cut out in the usual manner, but still leave the said valve operable for an emergency application.

In the accompanying drawings Figure I isa side elevation of the brake valve of this invention; Figure II is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Fig. I, the rotary valve portions being removed; Figure III is a central vertical sectional view taken on the Serial No. 299,852.

line III-III of Fig. II; Figure IV is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line IV IV of Fig. II; Figure V is a plan view of the rotary valve plate of the valve showing the cored-out ports in phantom by means of cross-hatching; elusive show the rotary valve plate seat with its ports in ilull lines, and shows in phantom the coredout ports 01" the rotary valve plate in its various operative positions, which will be described in detail hereinafter.

The reference numeral 1 denotes in general the assembled valve housing, which has operably arranged in the interior chamber 2 thereof the equalizing or application piston 3. This equalizing piston 8 is slidably mounted on the stem and has the sleeve portions 3 and 3 thereof machined to provide a valve seat engagement with conical ns of the stud 5 and stem base l re- As illustrated, how rer, the por' tions 3* and scared encurrently, because the distance between the portions 5 and i is greater than that between the machined conical seats of the members 3 and 3 A communication from above the piston 3 to below the same is normally has. through the openings 3, and through the clearance between the stem 4 and the wall of the bore 3. The function and operation of equalizing or application pistons generally known in the art, and therefore the operation of piston 3 will not be further described. The particular arrangement illustrated is of value, due to its simplicity of structure and sensitivity of action.

The train or brake line 6 is ported into the lower portion of chamber 2 beneath the application piston, and the pipe 7 which is connected to the usual equalizing chamber of present day air brake systems, is ported at 8 above the said piston. On the top of portion 1 of the valve casing 1 there is machined the valve seat 9, in which the valve plate 10 is rotatably fitted. The member 11 has an on gagement with the plate 10 by means of the pins 11, and is rotatably mounted in the upper casing portion l, as shown in Fig. III. Into the chamber 12 opens a port 13 which communicates directly from the main reserand Figures VI to XIV iiiing valve on a given car is ad voir of the brake system through pipe 14. The pressure thus introduced from the main reservoir to the chamber 12 is relatively high, often ranging from 110 to 120 pounds per square inch, and serves to seat the rotary plate with a corresponding force. However, to assist the said pressure in seating the said plate 10 thereyis a spring 15, the compression of which may be varied by means of the hand wheel 16 and the shaft 16 having the threaded lower portion, as illustrated in Fig. III. The handle 17 is suitably fixed to the upper'portion of the member 11 to permit manual rotation thereoh'and of the valve plate 10.

lVith respect to the patented automatic re ta-iining valve referred to supra, it should be said that its function is to retain the brakes;

in. application after they have been applied,

and in, addition it ope-rates'the triplevalve,

(this triple valve iscommon in present ai-r brake systems)- to permit the auxiliary reservoir pressure to be built up and maintained during the t me in which the brakes are retamed in application. To accomplish'this,

' it"is necessaryto provide means whereby the normal brake application, this train line pressure usually drops 20 pounds, and if it doesnotdo so, the engineer can vent the train line. through his valve until the pressure does drop 20; or more pounds. I In this event the retaining valve operates to hold the brakes, as said above, because the train line pressure is below the 72 pound operating point at which the retaining valve is. adjusted. In

case the brakes are retained in application for a relatively long period of several minutes, such as is necessary on a long grade, the-auxiliary reservoir pressure ordinarily bleeds away, or atbest'remains constant. If a turtherapplication of the brakes is made, the brake operating pressure of the auxiliary reservoir is again lowered. :It is I 1 the pract1ce of train engineers p v at the present time toapply the brakes for a short time,

then release them: and regaintheir auxiliary reservoir pressure, and then apply them again. This practice is fairly satisfactory in many cases,"but on long steep grades this method of braking is dangerous, because the applications of the brakes must'be in relative close sequence, and this results in successively decreasing the auxiliary reservoir pressure to point where effectual brakingis often impossible to obtain,

Since theretaining valve holds the brakes in application as long as the. auxiliary reservoir pressure is below the set 72- pounds, and since pressures of from to pounds are efiective braking pressures, the applicant conceived and provided means, which would.

permit the train line and auxiliary reservoir pressure to build up to a predetermined pres sure (which is assumed in this case'to be about 70 pounds) during the time in which the brakes are retained in application. The several advantagesof this operation will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and for this reason they will not be related herein; sufiice it to say, however, that there will always be an effective brake operating pres sure in the auxiliary reservoir} Assaid supra, the normal or running pressure in the train" line anda-uxil'iary reservoirsismaintained constant at a pressure appreciably lower than that of the main reservoir. Means for controlling this pressure comprise a high pressure feed valve 18. a

This feed valve is described in my copending application, Serial No. 299,699,filed=' August 15, 1928. To give a general knowledge of its operation, a vertical sectional view thereof is given in Fig. IV. The main reservoir pressure enters from" the chamber through the port 29 of the rotary valve seat 9' to orifice 19 above the valve member 20. *Obviously, this is only true when the:

rotary valve plate 10 is placed into position to permit communication between the chamber 12 and the port 29. In thechamber 21 is the piston 22, above which the exit port 23 opens. The port 23 communicates, by means of passage 30, directly from above piston 22 to the chamber 2 above the application piston 1 8. The spring 24 is adjusted by means of the threaded sleeve 28 to remain in its illustrated pos1t1on as long as the deslred pressure of 90 pounds prevails in the chamber 21. WV hen,

however, this pressure drops below this value, the said spring urges the piston upwardly against the rod 25, which .unseats the valve 26 and valve 20 to allow themain reservoir pressure to enter the chamber 21 through the passages 27. I This automath I cally restores, and due to the sens1t1v1ty of 7 the device, maintains the pressure in 'cham-.

ber 21 at the desired pressure of :90 pounds.

"Similarly, there is a low pressure or auxiliaryf-eed-valve .48, whichhas an entrance thereto ported at 49 in the valve seat 9. The internal structure of thelatter feed valve is practically thesame as that of the high pressure feed valve 18. The low pressure 'feed valve 48, however, has its controlling springs adjusted to permit air to feedthroughthe passage51 to the chamber 2 above the application piston 3 at a pressure of 70 pounds. It is this 'TOfpound pressure. feed-valve that recharges the auxiliary. reservoir, through the triple valve and'train line, while the retaining valves of the cars are functioning to hold the brakes in application; it taking, as said previously, 72 pounds or more pressure in the train line to release the retaining valve.

I In order that the operation of the engineers valve, and the air brake system as a whole, may be clearly understood, the various operating positions of the handle 17 will be described in the order of their location from left to right.

First 79'0siti0n.This position is known as the full release, and is shown diagrammatically in Fig. VI. As illustrated in Fig. V, the rotary valve plate 10 is provided with 'two cored-out portions 10 and 10 There is also a port 31 which extends through the plate 10 and member 11 to permit a direct communication between the chamber 12 and the valve seat 9. The shallow slot 31 is machined on the under surface of the plate 10, and serves to permit air from the chamber 12 to escape into the small warning port 32, and blow out at the side of the engineers brake valve 1 to warn the engineer when the brake handle is being moved into full release.

In the full release position the air passes directly from chamber 12, at main reservoir pressure, through the port 31 which in this position overlies the opening 33 that vents to the equalizing chamber 2 above the piston 3. The function of this position is to permit a large head of air to flow into the train line and release the brakes, and it may readily be understood that if this position is maintained for any appreciable time that the auxiliary reservoir would be charged to the pressure of the main reservoir, which would cause severe brake sticking after an application of the brakes. It is for this reason that the warning port is provided to attract the attention of the engineer. All other ports than those mentioned, it will be noted, are blanked in the full release position.

Second p0sitz'0n.By moving the handle 17 one point to the right, the high running or high train line position is entered. The port arrangement in this position is shown in Fig. VII, wherein the port 31 overlies the opening '29, and feeds the main reservoir pressure from chamber 12 to the high pressure feed valve 18, which allows the air to flow therefrom, through the passage into chamber 2 above the application piston 3. This charges the train line and auxiliary reservoii's to a pressure of 90 pounds. It may be well to note that the hi h pressure governor pipe 34 is connected by a passage 35 to the high pressure feed-valve port 29.

In the high running position the cored-out portion 1O" slightly overlies the port 86, which opens from the driver brake application pipe 37, and vents the same to the exhaust opening 38. This releases the driver brakes for the normal running of the train.

Third p0sit2'0n.Figure VIII illustrates the third or driver brake release position. In this position all ports are blanked except the driver brake application pipe, which is vented by recess 10 to the exhaust 38. It is possible, due to this particular feature of the valve structure, to apply the brakes of the engine and train, as explained infra, and then move the valve handle into the third position to release the driver brakes, and since in this position all except the driver application port 36 are blanked, the remainder of the train brakes may beheld in application.

Fourth posiz'on.-This position is illustrated in TX, and is known as the hold ing position. The port 31 registers with the passage opening 39, which is an auxiliary opening in the seat 9 to the feeding passage of the high pressure feed valve 18. All other ports are blanked. The only difference bet\ running position and holding position is that in the latter position the driver brakes are not released after an application, while the remai ning brakes of the train are released. Therefore, this pern'iits the drivers to be braked, while the train brakes may be re leased and the brake line recharged.

Fifth posz'ii'aia-n.This position is shown in Fig. X, wherein the recess 1O connects the dri er make application port 36 with the port 10 leading from the driver brake supply pipe 1-1. In this position the driver brakes may be applied without braking the rest of the train, and this structure, in conjunction with several other of the described features, dispenses with the necessity of an independent engineefis valve.

Sari/L p0sz't'i0n.'lfhe port arrangement in this low brake position is illustrated in Fig. Xl. After an application of the brakes, as will be described in the eighth position, the handle 17 is moved into this position, which causes the port 31 to register with the entering port 49 of the low or pound pressure feed valve 48. This permits the main reservoir pressure to feed from the chamber 12, and go into the feed valve 48, which feeds the air into the train line at a pressure of 70 pounds. As explained in the early part of the specification, this restores the train line and auxiliary reservoirs to 70 pounds without taking the brakes out of the applied position in which they are maintained by the retaining valves.

Seven-257a, position-The lap position is shown in Fig. X11, and as indicated, all of the ports are entirely blanked. The utility of the lap position is well known, and therefore, it will not be further described.

Eight/t posti0n.-This is the service position, and by means of the recess 10 there is permitted a gradual opening of the port L3 to the exhaust port 38, as shown in Fig. X111. Port 43 opens into the chamber 2 above the equalizing 131533011 3, and the consequent reduction of pressure above this piston causes. it tomove upwardly until the seat 3- Ordinarily, an engineer placesthe handle in lap after he reaches this desired reduction, but in theapplicants device, the handle is moved to retaining valve or sixth position, which allowst'he train line and auxiliary reservoirs to build up to pounds pressure, as described supra. Elie application piston 3 returns to its normal position, illustrated in Fig. III,.as soon as the handle 17 is removed from: service position intothe retaining position,

Ninth position.-This is the emergency position,which communicates the emergency pipe at, through the port e5, directly to the exhaust port 38,. and gives the desired quick application of the brakes. It may be well to explain that the emergency pipe is simply an auxiliary connection to the train line, and

permits the sameto be directly connected to an exhaust, port without the air passing through the application chamber 2. The emergency pipe is connected to the train line below the usual cut-out valve, and as a result, an emergency application of the brakes may be had if'thiscut-out valve works shut, or if it is closed intentionally, as is customary in the. second engine of a double header, an emergency application may still be had.

l/Vhat I claim is: 1.. In an. air brake system equipped with retaining valves, an engineers brake valve, said, brake valve having ports'and passages, certain of saidep'orts and passages communicating with a high pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages communicating with a: low pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages communicating with the train line, and certain ports and passages opening to the atmosphere, and valving meansin said brake valve being movable to communicate the high pressure supplv with the train line and arranged to communicate the train line with the exhaust ports and passages-to operate the brakes and retaining valves, said valving means being also movable to communicate the ports and passages. from the train line tothe low pressure sup-' passages communicating with a high pres-- sure supply, certain oflsaid ports and-pas.- sages communicating with a low pressure; supply, certain of said ports and passages opening to the atmosphere, and valving means-in said brake valve being movable to communicate the high pressure supply with the train line and arranged to communicate the train line with the exhaust ports and; passages to operate the brakes and retaining valves, said valving means being also movable to communicate the ports and passages fromethe train line to the low pressure sup ply, said low pressure supply providing a pressure to the train line insufficient to operate the retaining valves and triple'valves,

3.7 In an air brake system equipped with retaining valves and triple valves, an engineers brake valve, said brake; valve having ports and passages, certainof said ports and, passages communicating with a high-pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages communicating with a low pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages opening to the atmosphere, and valving means in saidbrake valve being movable to communicate the high pressure supply with the train line and arran ed to communicate the train line with the exhaust ports and passages tO'OPQY-r' communicating with a low pressure. supply,

certain of said ports and passages. opening to the atmosphere, and valving means in said brake valve being movable to communicate the high pressure supply with the'train line and; arranged to communicate the train line with the exhaust ports and passages to operatethe, a

brakes and, retaining valves, said valving means being also movable to communicate the ports and passages from the train line to the low pressure supply,.said low pressure supply maintalmng a pressure in the train line and auxiliary reservoirs suflicient "for a service application of the brakes and ins-ufiicienttorelease the brakes and retaining valves, said valving means being further movablefltoconnect the train line to" the atmosphere without releasing the brakes orretainingvalves.

t v 5. In an air brake system equipped with retainingvalves and triple valves, anengi- 7' neers brakevalve, said brake valve having ports and passages, certain of said ports and passagescommunicating with a high pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages communicating with a low pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages opening to the atmosphere, and valving means in said brake valve being movable to communicate the high pressure supply with the train line and arranged to communicate the train line with the exhaust ports and passages to operate the brakes and retaining valves, said valving means being further movable after a brake application to communicate the ports and passages from the train line to the low pressure supply, said low pressure supply operating the triple valve and increasing the operating pressure in the train line and auxiliary reservoirs without releasing the brakes and retaining valves.

6. In an air brake system equipped with retaining valves and triple valves, an engineers brake valve, said brake valve having ports and passages, certain of said ports and passages communicating with a high pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages communicating with a low pressure supply, certain of said ports and passages opening to the atmosphere, and valving means in said brake valve being movable to communicate the high pressure supply with the train line and arranged to communicate the train line with the exhaust ports and passages to operate the brakes and retaining valves, said valving means being further movable after a brake application to communicate the ports and passages from the train line to the low v pressure supply, said low pressure supply operating the triple valve and increasing the operating pressure in the train line and auxiliary reservoirs without releasing the brakes and retaining valves, said valving means being still further movable to register certain of said ports and passages to communicate the train line to the atmosphere to give an increased application of the brakes without releasing the same from their retained position.

7. In an air brake system equipped with retaining valves, and triple valves, an engineers brake valve, said brake valve having ports and passages to an auxiliary pressure feeding device, said valve having ports and passages to the train line, and valving means being movable to connect the ports and passages from the auxiliary pressure feeding means to the passages to the train line, the pressure fed by said means being sufficient for a service application of the brakes and insufficient to operate the retaining valves.

8. An air brake system equipped with retaining valves and triple valves, an engineers brake valve, said brake valve having ports and passages to an auxiliary pressure feeding device, said brake valve having ports and passages to the train line, valving means to connect the passages from the pressure feeding device with the ports and passages leading to the train line, said pressure feeding device being arranged to increase the pressure in the train line and to operate the triple valve to increase the pressure in the auxiliary reservoirs without releasing the retaining valves and brakes.

9. In an air brake system equipped with automatic retaining valves and triple valves, an engineers brake valve, said brake valve having ports and passages, certain of said ports and passages communicating with the train line, certain of said ports and passages communicating with a normal pressure feeding device, certain of said ports and passages communicating with a relatively low pressure feeding devise, and valving means arranged to operatively interconnect the high pressure feeding device to the train line to maintain the latter at a normal brake Operating pressure, said valving means being also movable to interconnect the ports and passages from the low pressure feeding device to the train line, the low pressure fed by the latter feeding device being suificient to permit a service application of the brakes and sulficient to move the triple valves to permit the low pressure to be maintained in the auxiliary reservoirs, and said low pressure being insufiicient to operate the retaining valves to release the brakes.

10. In a train air brake system equipped with automatic retaining valves, an engineers brake valve, said brake valve having ports from a pressure supply and ports to the atmosphere, rotary means for connecting said ports to apply the brakes and retaining valves of the engine and cars of the train, said brake valve also having ports from a pressure supply and ports to the engine brake line, said rotary means being arranged to connect the latter of said ports to release the engine brakes without releasing the brakes of the remainder of the train.

11. In a train air brake system equipped with automatic retaining valves, an engineers brake valve, said brake valve having ports and passages from the train line, said valves having ports and passages to the atmosphere, said valve having ports and passages from a pressure supply, said valve having ports and passages to the operating means of the engine brakes, valving means being movable to connect the train line to the atmosphere to apply all the brakes and retaining valves of the train, said valving means being also movable to connect the passages to the engine brake operating means with the atmosphere or the pressure supply to operate the engine brakes independently of the rest of the train.

12. In an engineers brake valve comprising an equalizing chamber having an equalizing piston operative therein, a passage from an equalizin tank opening abovesaid piston, opening below said piston to the rotary valve in a chamti erein, a

b er, communicating with a pressure supply, a high pressure feed valve said feed valve having an inlet ported to the rotary valve seat and-an outlet port opening in the equalizing chamber above the equalizing piston, and apassage from above said piston to the region below said piston, said rotary valve being operative to connect the feed valve inlet port to the pressure supply.

13. An engineers brake valve comprising an equalizingchamber having an equalizing pistonoperative therein, a passage from an equalizing tank opening above said piston, a passage opening below said piston to the brake line, a high pressure feed valve, said feed valve having an inlet ported to a rotary valve seat and an outlet port opening in the equalizing chamber above the equalizing piston, a relatively low pressure feed valve, said latter feed valve having an inlet ported to the rotary valve seat and an outlet port opening in the equalizing chamber above the piston, a passage normally opening from above said" piston to below the same, and said rotary valve being operative to connect either feed valve inlet port tothe pressure supply.

14. In an engineers brake valve an equalizing chamber having an equalizing piston sleeve portion integral with said piston, said sleeve having a central bore and bein mounted on a fixed stem, said stem being smaller than the bore of the sleeve, and at leastone opening from said bore beneath the piston.

15. In an engineers brake valve an equaliz ing chamber having an equalizing piston therein, a sleeve portion integral with said piston, said sleeve having a central bore and bein inounted'on a fixed stem said stem being smaller than the bore of the sleeve, a ported valve seat formed at the base of said stem, the lower portion of said bore being machined to sea'ton said valve seat, a tapered stud fixed adjacent the upper end of said stem, the upper end'of saidbore being machined to seat on the tapered stud when the istonrises, and at least one port in the sleeve below the piston opening from said bore.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

ALEXANDER W. NICHOLSON. 

